Key fob and key both dead

[dohalloran]

That's right. Having some really cold weather here right now, and the car has sat for maybe 48 hours. The key fob did nothing when I went outside to open the car. The key; it will turn smoothly in the driver's door lock cylinder, left and right, but it will not open the door !!

Seems like the 1 yr, old battery is totally dead, and I can't even get into the car to charge the battery or check anything. Very odd. Other than the weather having it's effect on the car, I would have thought that I could at least open the door with the key. And yes, I tried both keys.

Any thoughts ??

[jclausen]

Does the trunk open manually

[dohalloran]

It's my wagon. I did a search, and Quicksilver offered some tips from other BMW series, and what could be found in the owner's manual.

I went out and tried it, and nothing. No luck, no how !!

[MotorMouth93]

To manually unlock the driver door you have to turn it further than you would when unlocking it normally. If you turn the key counterclockwise it engages the power locks at the first stop, but if you keep turning it will engage the mechanical locking mechanism directly and unlock the door. Same goes for the trunk, you have to turn it past the first stop to engage the mechanical latch.

Edit: I just went outside and checked on my car. With the default key position being 12 o'clock, the first stop for power unlock is at about 10 o'clock, and keep turning counter clockwise to about 8 o'clock to engage the mechanical locking mechanism. Did you turn the key that far?

[dohalloran]

No, I didn't. Hmmm. Missed reading that detail. Thank you. Will try that in the a.m. !!

[geargrinder]

Yes that will prob work for your unlocking... Re: battery, yeah if its 1yr old them something is wrong, and its unlikely that you just got a bad battery... Short list would be:

1. check all terminal connections especially grounds. surprising how often this is the problem
2. there's something that's keeping the car from sleeping... rogue module or aftermarket stereo or who knows what...
3. you have water in the passengers footwell with all kinds of sneaky shorts

[dohalloran]

Thanks MM93 and GG. So I can get into the car, but now I have to get to the battery in the rear. Fun times. I will wait until tomorrow when it's warmer.
No power anywhere. Talk about a cold snap !!

Hey GG; good tips. I will wiggle the cables and do a few tests before I write this battery off. Less than a year old.

[MotorMouth93]

Same applies to the trunk, turn the key further counterclockwise and it will pop the mechanical latch open. It takes more force than you'd think, when I first got my car I thought the trunk latch was broken.

[dohalloran]

No lock cylinder on the rear hatch ! Sigh.

[JimLev]

Do you or a neighbor have jumper cables? Pop the hood, connect cables to the jump spot and you should be able to open the rear hatch.

[MotorMouth93]

No lock cylinder on the rear hatch ! Sigh.

Doh! I didn't notice you had a wagon.

[dohalloran]

Right Jim. Forgot about that !!

[geargrinder]

Ha ha guys beat me to it.

[dohalloran]

Put 60 amps to the charger in START mode, and all I got was flickering lights. That cold weather beat the crap out of that battery (3 yr. warranty). Tested it at almost 8V. Yikes.

The new one is putting out 1100 CCA !!!

The car started just fine, HOWEVER, it did not exactly go into high idle. Something is wrong. It idles around that white line which looks to be under 500rpm.
When I apply light or a little more than gentle throttle, the car just dies. I let it run for 20 minutes, and the temp gauge was moving up to about the 10 o'clock position.
It's not that cold out (-6C), but the car has not run since Friday on the highway.

A little concerned. Must be something to do with air flow, I don't really know.

And I wouldn't call it limp mode. But clearly I can't drive it until I determine the problem.

[JimLev]

When the battery died the DME probably lost the throttle body position info.
If it's anything like our V8's with drive by wire throttle body to get the throttle position stored in the DME we turn the key to position 2 (don't start the engine), leave the key in postion for at least 30 sec, then turn the key off. Then start the car.

[dohalloran]

That sounds about right. Jim, I hope you save the day (for me) tomorrow !!
What a pain.

[geargrinder]

doh: Even that super cold shouldn't have completely cooked a 1yr old battery so lets hope you don't have another problem (I suspect you do... maybe better to say "lets hope its something easy"). Re: the running issues, try clearing codes and adaptations if you have the cable/device to do it. Might check your running voltage too to be sure the altertater is working fine.

[dohalloran]

I agree. That is odd with the battery. Alternator could be the issue. I will check for codes and test running voltage as well. Thanks GG.

[dohalloran]

No luck with that. Engine still idles very low. I can gently kick up the revs, but it will fall back down to around 500 rpm. It still dies sometimes.

Maybe I should disconnect the battery for at least 20 minutes, re-connect, and then try the key in position 2 method. Then re-start.

??

[geargrinder]

I will check for codes and test running voltage as well.

Did you do this part yet?

[dohalloran]

I can't even stand up in the driveway with this freakin' freezing rain !! Great timing.
Um, I did a reset as I described above. No luck. OBD shows this brand new battery at just over 12 volts with the car running (incidentally, when I've done this test at other times, it's always read something like 11.96V , which of course, is low. Like you said, maybe a grounding issue.
I can't get the revs up (2000 rpm) to test the alternator. It dies more readily, and I just can't feather the throttle to get there.
Occasionally, the car will try to increase idle speed, but it just won't "catch", and sit up there below 1000 rpm, like when it's cold.
No codes.
OUT

[geargrinder]

Not good.

You have either fartinater problem or wire problem (including possible failed component drain in that category). Thats why battree deads.

Should be SOLID in the 13-14V range when running. Either that 'nater ain't alterin', or, there's a giant drain on it.

This ain't gonna fix isself. You gotta get serious about this.

Aside from basic wires issues, you got stuff like water-in-the-floor-rot problem (said already). Also burnt up FSU, maybe a bad ignition switch not shutting systems off are possibilities.

[dohalloran]

Passenger floor well is dry. No problem there. I suspect a bad alternator. But now that I have a strong new battery in there, why will the car not idle properly ?
I don't understand the connection here. Appreciate all the help here GG.

[dohalloran]

Well this is strange. Tow truck guy said I probably just have a frozen fuel line. I've started the car at least 10 times with the new battery, and each time, the car will idle for less and less time, and today, it will just start and almost die right away. Less and less fuel downstream, I'm thinking.

I think he's on to something. But it doesn't explain my low voltage issues.

Car is sitting in a warm and dry location now. I will check on it later tonight.

Coincidentally, I pick up my fuel filter tomorrow from ECS Tuning. I'll make sure that goes in pronto !

[geargrinder]

Ha. 1977 called and they want their tow truck guy back.

Modern gas has SO much alcohol in it, its crazy rare to have a problem with ice in the tank anymore. You can practically pour a bottle of Evian into the tank and it'd be fine (hyperbole! don't actually do that! )

Is it possible? Well. Maybe. But its extremely unlikely.

Mainly because you're correct. Would not at all explain your low voltage issues. These cars run like chit on low voltage, period. 12V is wrong/bad/not-good. Running less and less time because that new battery is just getting beat-up I suspect. I mean correct me if I'm wrong but have you been watching volts on the cluster every time you start it? My guess would be that the volts continue to dribble away with each and every one...

BTW if anything I'd say fuel PUMP for running issues like that (fool filters on these cars are huge and virtually never really clog regardless of what you read on immerwebz forums), however VOLTAGE IS BAD BRO.

Bro has wrong voltage. Bro needs to fix his voltage.

Bro, get on that voltage problem.